Fernando Mendoza, Raiders Agree to $57M Rookie Contract As No. 1 Overall Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders now officially have their franchise quarterback.

They confirmed Thursday they agreed to terms on the rookie deal for No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

The NFL's rookie wage scale largely locked down what the Heisman Trophy will earn on his first contract. Given his position in the draft, he'll make $57.3 million overall, and here's a yearly breakdown for the guaranteed portion:

• 2026: $10,413,000
• 2027: $13,016,250
• 2028: $15,619,500
• 2029: $18,222,750

Some teams will haggle with rookies over the fine print. Last offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals didn't finalize things with first-round pick Shemar Stewart until mid-July.

It figured to be smooth sailing with Mendoza and Las Vegas, though.

The optics wouldn't have looked good for the Raiders if they tried squeeze the player on whom they're hedging so much of their future. Getting Mendoza as many reps as possible is also important as he adjusts to life in the NFL.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported during the draft that Kirk Cousins has the inside track on the starting job:

Even assuming Mendoza is the backup in Week 1, him holding out of workouts or training camp would've been counterproductive for both parties.

With the financial particulars now settled, the former Indiana signal-caller can focus on his game.

Mendoza was pegged to the Raiders almost from the moment they clinched the first overall selection. He was by far the best quarterback on the board, and the organization badly needed a long-term plan under center.

Grading Fernando Mendoza Pick

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This was a case where the easiest solution and the best solution aligned. Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski gave Las Vegas an A-plus grade for choosing Mendoza:

"The Las Vegas Raiders finally got it right. After decades of trying to figure out the quarterback position, with multiple first-round misfires, they can finally build around a true franchise signal-caller in Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.

"Mendoza may not be the same caliber of prospect as Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence, but make no mistake: He's every bit worthy of being the first overall selection in this year's draft."

Raiders fans knew for months that Mendoza would be anointed as the savior. Soon enough, he'll step onto the field as a member of the team.